Formula 1 News

2009 Bahrain GP: Button grabs third win of 2009 

Raikkonen secures first points for Ferrari

Brawn GP’s Jenson Button has scored his third win in the 2009 season at the 2009 Bahrain GP. The Briton was followed by Chinese Grand Prix winner Sebastian Vettel and Toyota’s veteran Jarno Trulli.

Fourth place for McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, fifth for Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello, sixth for Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen – who grabbed the first points for the Maranello team – seventh for Toyota’s Timo Glock and eighth for Renault’s Fernando Alonso.

A disappointing race for the two BMWs with Nick Heidfeld finishing 18th while team mate Robert Kubica 19th.

2009 Bahrain Grand Prix, lap by lap highlights:

Formation lap: Trulli, Glock, Vettel and Button – as most of the drivers – will start with the softer Bridgestone tyre.

Race start: In Turn 1 Glock leads Trulli, Hamilton, Button. Good start for Raikkonen, he’s now on P6. Slight collision for Massa.

Lap 56/57: Button overtakes Hamilton, Button on P3. Vettel on P5.

Lap 55/57: Pit stop for Kubica and Nakajima for a front wing change. Webber on P14. Pit stop for Massa and Heidfeld.

Lap 54/57: Glock in P1 with 1.5 secs on Trulli (P2). Then Button, Hamilton, Vettel, Barrichello, Raikkonen, Alonso. Massa P17.

Lap 52/57: Webber P11 tailing Renault’s Nelsinho Piquet (P10).

Lap 50/57: The two Toyotas lead the race with Button third and Hamilton fourth.

Lap 47/57: Vettel (P5) putting some pressure on Hamilton (P4). Barrichello (P6) reaching Vettel.

Lap 46/57: Pit stop for Glock, 9.8 secs back in P9.

Lap 45/57: Pit stop for Trulli, 8.9 secs back in P6. Button leads the race. Pit stop for Kovalainen.

Lap 44/57: Button P1, then Hamilton, Vettel, Barrichello, Raikkonen and Trulli. Alonso passes Trulli. The Spaniard moves to P6.

Lap 43/57: Pit stop for Barrichello, 7.1 secs back in 10.

Lap 42/57: Pit stop for Button, Hamilton. Hamilton in P7. Piquet under pressure from Barrichello.

Lap 41/57: Pit stop for Alonso, 8.5 secs back in P

Lap 39/57: Nice battle between Piquet and Barrichello. Piquet defends his position thanks to KERS. Barrichello finally passes Piquet.

Lap 38/57: Pit stop for Vettel, 8.6 secs back in P4. Raikkonen leading (no pit stop yet) followed by Button and Trulli. Barrichello passes Glock for P7.

Lap 37/57: Pit stop for Raikkonen, 10.2 secs back in P8.

Lap 36/57: Button P1, followed by Trulli, Vettel, Hamilton.

Lap 34/57: Pit stop for Piquet. Team radio for Massa, the Brazilian says the KERS isn’t working very well.

Lap 32/57: Barrichello closing up on Hamilton (P4). Pit stop for Barrichello, 9.1 secs back in P8.

Lap 27/57: Button P1 with 12.8 seconds on Trulli (P2). Pit stop for Massa, he’s now in P18.

Lap 26/57: Pit stop for Nakajima. Piquet passes Fisichella for P10.

Lap 25/57: Raikkonen pushing on Glock for P5.

Lap 24/57: Pit stop for Glock, 6.9 secs back in P10.

Lap 23/57: Button P1, then Trulli, Vettel, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Alonso, Barrichello and Rosberg.

Lap 22/57: Button laps Felipe Massa.

Lap 20/57: Pit stop for Button, 9.2. Pit stop for Hamilton and Trulli. Hamilton in P6. Alonso pits along with Fisichella, Kovalainen and Webber.

Lap 19/57: Barrichello tries to pass Trulli but runs too wide.

Lap 17/57: Pit stop for race leader Sebastian Vettel, 7. secs back in P3.

Lap 14/57: Button P1, Raikkonen P2, Vettel P3, Trulli P4.

Lap 13/57: Pit stop for Raikkonen, 9.1 secs back in P7.

Lap 11/57: Pit stop for Massa

Lap 10/57: Pit stop for Barrichello, 6.6 secs back in P5.

Lap 8/57: Button leads followed by Vettel, Trulli, Hamilton, Barrichello and Raikkonen. Nakajima pits but parks his Williams in the garage: he’s out.

Lap 3/57: Glock closing up on Raikkonen.

Last lap: Brawn Gp’s Jenson Button grabs his third win in the 2009 season ahead of Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, Toyota’s Jarno Trulli, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Rubens Barrichello. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen finishes sixth grabbing the first points for the Maranello team, followed by Timo Glock and Fernando Alonso.

2009 Bahrain Grand Prix, race results: